1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a container for rapidly heating or cooling drinks or foodstuffs by an exothermic or endothermic reaction, and more particularly, to a container partitioned into three rooms or chambers. One room has a solid reactant, a second room has a liquid reactant, and a third room has drinks or foodstuffs. Further, the present invention relates to a container in which exothermal and endothermal reactions are generated by mixing with each other when foodstuffs or drinks are to be eaten up or drunk. Energy generated by the reactions is delivered to the drinks or foodstuff to rapidly heat or cool drinks or foodstuffs.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
This type of can or container is known conventionally.
However, conventional containers are complicated in structures, expensive have problems in conservation of the reactants, insufficient reactant effects, uneasy handling, and further have the problem that the drinks or foodstuffs can not be rapidly heated or cooled when required. Under such circumstanses such containers, etc. are not successful on a commercial basis.
The instant inventor knows of the following prior art, namely as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,970,068 and 4,528,218.
The former invention U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,068 has a container in which three rooms or chambers are provided. Drinks and food stuffs are contained in a first room, a solid reactant is contained in a second room, and a liquid reactant is contained in a third room.
There is provided a thermoplastic resin tank at the side of a bottom cover, a recess partially covering the bottom cover, and a needle directed to the recess of the bottom cover corresponding to a position of the recess. When the bottom cover is pressed inwardly, the needle which is now actuated normally breaks the tank by stabbing the recess portion. Thus, drinks and foodstuffs are to be drunk and eaten up the drinks and foodstuffs are heated or cooled by exothermal or endothermal reactions which are generated by the liquid reactant is oozed outside the tank and delivered to the solid reactant contained in the next room.
According to this example, drinks and foodstuffs are theoretically heated and cooled but there are the following problems showing why it is not successful on a commercial basis.
The liquid reactant is gradually delivered to the solid reactant because the needle stabs the tank and breaks a small part of the tank from which the liquid reactant is oozed out. Thus, the exthothermal and endothermal reactions of the solid reactant are not rapidly effected. It requires a long period of time to heat or cool the drinks and foodstuffs when they to be drunk and eaten up. Thus, there is the problem that the drinks and foodstuffs are not heated or cooled in a short period of time.
Also, quick lime is employed as an exothermal reactant. There is a problem that the container is explosive because the quick lime generates a gas during the exothermal reaction.
On the other hand the latter invention, U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,218, relates to a container having three rooms, in which drinks and foodstuffs are contained in a first room, a liquid reactant is contained in a second room, and solid reactant is contained in a third room.
There is provided a diaphragm between the second and third rooms. There is no description of the material of the diaphragm which is however subjected to thermal sealing by the material capable of pealing off. When the container is used, a bottom cover is pressed inwardly to actuate a breaker provided in the container, breaking the diaphragm so that the liquid reactant is oozed out and delivered to the solid reactant to thereby generate the exothermal and the endothermal reactions.
As a result the drinks and foodstuffs are heated or cooled accordingly.
However, according to that latter invention the diaphragm is partially broken and not broken entirely.
The latter invention may make the liquid reactant deliver to the solid reactant more smoothly, but does not make the liquid reactant at once deliver to the solid reactant by breakage of the diaphragm all at once.
The latter invention is not commercially successful because the drinks and foodstuffs can not be heated or cooled based on the exothermal or the endothermal reactions.